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A COLLECTION FOR DAVID
Giving a helping hand to a team member at Autobenex Ltd.
I would like to share a story with you about one of our team members at Autobenex Ltd.; a colleague whose life was turned upside down one day by an accident that leaves us all gasping for breath when we just think about it; and that makes us feel extremely grateful for our ordinary lives.
I would like to tell you about a lady and her arduous journey, which the majority of us fears and therefore sometimes deliberately ignores when it happens to others. I must admit, that even my colleague does not know that her story is seeing the light of the day like this. However, after many years of knowing her, I am sure that she will not blame me for this. This article is just a small effort to offer help with her life situation.
Three years ago, I was finishing my secondary education and was preparing for my school-leaving exam. At that time, one of my colleagues at a different branch of the company was also studying for the same exam. Yet, neither of us had any idea that in a couple of weeks, the exam would be nothing in comparison with the situation she would have to face. Then something happened on an ordinary day, which changed her and her boy's life forever. Her, then 13-year-old son David had a localized, blood-filled dilation of a blood vessel, also known as aneurysm, which resulted in a complete paralysis of his body. After spending four and a half months in coma, David's life became confined to his bed and with the help of his friends and family to his wheelchair.
Today, David is permanently bedbound. His mum, Mrs.Simova, who has been working at Autobenex Ltd. for several years, handles the financial matters for the family. David's grandmother is looking after him during the day, together with the help of professional therapists. 16-year-old David must exercise regularly, needs to be often positioned, and needs his hygiene routine to be taken care of for him, until the arrival of his mother. Their annual holiday is limited to convalescence spa centres. Mrs. Simova is emotionally strong enough not only to be able to speak about her son's condition, but to also offer advice, when asked. She recently mentioned, that she is currently hoping to purchase a special exercise bike, which will help David improve his motor skills.
I could see, that without the slightest need to complain or requests for any help, this investment is not the only one that David needs. The bicycle cost is in the range between 70000 to 140000 CZK, and will help David maintain his mobility, reduce the damage caused by the lack of movement, reduce spasms, mobilize the remaining muscular strength, and many more benefits. The cost of this piece of equipment is by no means small, in addition to the remaining expenditure, which Mrs Simova incurs. Expensive medication, convalescence spa stays, annual leave as well as unpaid leave and modifications to their house, are all just a short list of the expenses that a family caring for child suffering with aneurysm will incur.
In order to better understand the handicap, which David is dealing with, I have approached his doctor to explain the condition. What is aneurysm, what causes it and how to care for a person suffering from it.
By specialist words
A cerebral aneurysm is a saccular outpouching of a cerebral artery .Rupture of a cerebral aneurysm ursually results in a subarachnoid haemorrage. Although the precise etiology of the aneurysms remains unclear ,many extrinsic , congenital, and genetic factors have been implicated in the formation and rupture of intracerebral aneurysms.
There are types of intracerebral aneurysma in which the etiology has been well demonstrated. Head trauma can result in traumatic intracranial aneurysms due to a localized arterial tear . Bacterial and fungal infections have also been known to cause mycotic aneurysms.At the time of rupture or bleeding ,blood is forced into the subarachnoid space .The patient experiences a violent headache ,immediate loss of consciousness may occur or the level of consiousness may decrease. After such a bleed is usualy patient left with a brain damage. These people are becoming fully dependent on care They are not able to move spontaneously ,eat independently , they cannot control their bowel habits.
The care provided to those patiens can be physicaly and psychologicaly stresfull not mentioning that life is changing to everyone involved. The financial support of the country is not big enought to provide "good and comfortable" care for the patiens .
The mission of the Foundation Life for Children is helping ill children within Czech Republic. Everyone could find themselve in a situation where they need a help and a support from the others.
We are dealing with a human misfortune on daily basis. This mostly involves the children who are entirely dependent on medical help. We are trying to help these children by improving the quality of medical and device technology in pediatric wards which is necessary for the doctors to provide proper and gentle treatment. Due to fast development of the medicine and the technology these devices age faster than before. The updating of the medical technology at the world's level is absolutely necessary for the improvement of the care in critically ill children.
Our foundation tries to support ill children also directly by giving them toys, books, providing furniture for pediatric wards, organizing talk-shows for children who are bed bound for long term,, We are also trying to deal with the individual applicants.It is of course confined by our limits. This mostly involves the contributions towards buying wheelchairs, physiotherapeutical aids, etc.
The foudation Life for Children together with Autobenex company established a donor account number for David 83297339/0800,var.symbol is 2222.This account is open until 31.12.2009.
Please join us and help David and his mum. Thank you.